Football facilities named for late coach

School board votes to honor Lue Mims at Central High School

Lue C. Mims Jr., who died in 1998, coached football at Tuscaloosa Junior High and Druid High School — the only high school that blacks could attend before desegregation ended the 1960s.

Submitted photo

By Jamon SmithStaff Writer

Published: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 11:42 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | The Tuscaloosa City Board of Education unanimously voted Tuesday evening to name Central High School’s football field, locker rooms and press box the Lue C. Mims Jr. Football Complex.

It moved to honor the late high school coach, although it still doesn’t have a policy on naming school facilities after people.

Mims, who died in 1998, coached football at Tuscaloosa Junior High and Druid High School — the only high school that blacks could attend before desegregation ended the 1960s.

Mims coached from 1951 to 1986. He led the Druid High Dragons to their first undefeated 10-0 season since 1937 and was the first black certified swimming coach in Tuscaloosa.

Some of Mims’ former Druid Dragons said he was a legend like University of Alabama former head football coach Paul W. Bryant, who watched Mims’ football practices at Druid High.

Mims’ former players and former students who attended Tuesday’s meeting were ecstatic about the board’s decision.

“To pass by 15th Street and see Lue Mims’ name will give the young guys in this city someone to look up to and see how they should be,” said the Rev. Richard White Jr., an assistant pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Boligee and former Druid Dragon football player from 1966 to 1968.

White said Mims was like a father to him when he didn’t have a father. He said Mims bought him his first blazer and tie.

“I wouldn’t be the man I am today without him,” he said. “In our undefeated 1968 season, I made between 20 and 25 tackles a game, and I did it for Lue.”

Pat Green, a 1961 Druid High graduate, said the board’s decision to honor Mims will forever warm the hearts of every Druid Dragon.

“This is such an honor and tribute to him,” Green said. “We certainly applaud the efforts of all those who made this possible.”

Eight months ago, Tuscaloosa NAACP President Jerry Carter revived an appeal made to the board five years ago by more than 1,200 Druid High alumni who asked them to name Central’s football complex after Mims. Central was formerly Druid High.

Carter said he’s pleased that the board finally made a decision to honor a man who inspired so many.

“It’s been an eight-month struggle, and I think at some point this nearly divided the board, but I’m glad they were finally able to come together and make a decision,” Carter said.

Though the board’s final vote was unanimous, the decision didn’t come without some debate.

On Nov. 15, board member Marvin Lucas voiced concern about naming a school facility after anyone. He said the board should wait until it has a policy for such honors. He mentioned that a group from Woodland Forrest Elementary School didn’t get to name a pavilion after someone because the board had not established such a policy.

“I don’t think that anyone at this table feels it shouldn’t be named after Mims, but I don’t think policy should be suspended,” Lucas said Tuesday.

Board member Kelly Horwitz agreed with Lucas, saying the board should establish a policy and not do things arbitrarily.

A draft policy on naming and renaming facilities and areas of school facilities or grounds was presented to the board Tuesday, but board vice chairwoman Earnestine Tucker moved to rename Central’s football facilities after Mims.

Tucker said the community had been patient long enough and honoring Mims meets the criteria in the draft policy.

Board member James Minyard said the board has made numerous decisions without such a policy, including naming Paul W. Bryant High School and Verner Elementary school after people.

“We are the board,” Minyard said. “We can establish what the policy is going to be right now. We don’t even have to honor this policy.”

Board attorney Dave Ryan said the board has the right to deviate from their policies whenever it wants.

<p>TUSCALOOSA | The Tuscaloosa City Board of Education unanimously voted Tuesday evening to name Central High School's football field, locker rooms and press box the Lue C. Mims Jr. Football Complex.</p><p>It moved to honor the late high school coach, although it still doesn't have a policy on naming school facilities after people.</p><p>Mims, who died in 1998, coached football at Tuscaloosa Junior High and Druid High School — the only high school that blacks could attend before desegregation ended the 1960s. </p><p>Mims coached from 1951 to 1986. He led the Druid High Dragons to their first undefeated 10-0 season since 1937 and was the first black certified swimming coach in Tuscaloosa.</p><p>Some of Mims' former Druid Dragons said he was a legend like University of Alabama former head football coach Paul W. Bryant, who watched Mims' football practices at Druid High.</p><p>Mims' former players and former students who attended Tuesday's meeting were ecstatic about the board's decision.</p><p>“To pass by 15th Street and see Lue Mims' name will give the young guys in this city someone to look up to and see how they should be,” said the Rev. Richard White Jr., an assistant pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Boligee and former Druid Dragon football player from 1966 to 1968.</p><p>White said Mims was like a father to him when he didn't have a father. He said Mims bought him his first blazer and tie.</p><p>“I wouldn't be the man I am today without him,” he said. “In our undefeated 1968 season, I made between 20 and 25 tackles a game, and I did it for Lue.”</p><p>Pat Green, a 1961 Druid High graduate, said the board's decision to honor Mims will forever warm the hearts of every Druid Dragon.</p><p>“This is such an honor and tribute to him,” Green said. “We certainly applaud the efforts of all those who made this possible.”</p><p>Eight months ago, Tuscaloosa NAACP President Jerry Carter revived an appeal made to the board five years ago by more than 1,200 Druid High alumni who asked them to name Central's football complex after Mims. Central was formerly Druid High.</p><p>Carter said he's pleased that the board finally made a decision to honor a man who inspired so many.</p><p>“It's been an eight-month struggle, and I think at some point this nearly divided the board, but I'm glad they were finally able to come together and make a decision,” Carter said.</p><p>Though the board's final vote was unanimous, the decision didn't come without some debate.</p><p>On Nov. 15, board member Marvin Lucas voiced concern about naming a school facility after anyone. He said the board should wait until it has a policy for such honors. He mentioned that a group from Woodland Forrest Elementary School didn't get to name a pavilion after someone because the board had not established such a policy. </p><p>“I don't think that anyone at this table feels it shouldn't be named after Mims, but I don't think policy should be suspended,” Lucas said Tuesday.</p><p>Board member Kelly Horwitz agreed with Lucas, saying the board should establish a policy and not do things arbitrarily.</p><p>A draft policy on naming and renaming facilities and areas of school facilities or grounds was presented to the board Tuesday, but board vice chairwoman Earnestine Tucker moved to rename Central's football facilities after Mims.</p><p>Tucker said the community had been patient long enough and honoring Mims meets the criteria in the draft policy. </p><p>Board member James Minyard said the board has made numerous decisions without such a policy, including naming Paul W. Bryant High School and Verner Elementary school after people. </p><p>“We are the board,” Minyard said. “We can establish what the policy is going to be right now. We don't even have to honor this policy.”</p><p>Board attorney Dave Ryan said the board has the right to deviate from their policies whenever it wants.</p><p>Reach Jamon Smith at jamon.smith@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0204.</p>